1st time Willamette Sturgeon fishing

[JKham]

All I have to say is WOW! It was fun and they are definitely pole benders and line breakers. I never knew the Willamette had sturgeons let alone huge monsters at that! We used the depth finder to find the deepest area in the Willamette and were getting action all day.

I wished I had a picture of the river monster I hooked. I know my story will sound like BS and in all honesty I wouldn't believe either if someone told me this... Anyhow, we used Herring for bait and dropped it to the bottom. This was about my 3rd one I hooked, I got a light tug and set the hook. I yanked and reeled and thought nothing of it, it felt like the other two I hooked before. However, after about 10-15 mins of fighting I began to to think I had a good sized one on because I wasn't gaining line and actually losing line to the fish. 30mins passed and my arm was tired so I passed the pole to my friend. He fought and tried for another 20 mins. By this time, the people living in the house boat nearby came out and were cheering us on and saying they have been watching us from inside for the passed 40 mins and told us to hurry up and land it LOL.

1 hour into this and we finally saw the fish surface, it came up and I saw the tail of it surface about 20 yards from our boat. 5 mins later it jumped out of the water and it was the biggest fish I've ever hooked in my life. It was awesome! It had to be 8ft+ and when it hit the water, it sounded like a log crashing into the water. A min after that the line on the rod snapped. I think we had 60 pound test on.

This is the first on I got but I wished I could have got a pic of the big one.

 

[brandon4455]

nice fish! great read too. sturgeon fishing is a blast

 

[Marvin's Guide Service]

Yea the Willamette is a great place to fish. lots of action

 

[JKham]

We started the day actually going for salmon. Trolling from Willamette Park to the Sellwood bridge back and forth a couple of times but got no action so we switched to sturgeon fishing. I'm pretty jazzed about it and want to do it again soon.

 

[viento]

Many years ago, hooked a monster at the base of the Sellwood bridge (west side) it started swimming upstream, and spooled the 50lb test...

...snap. The beast never felt the drag.

 

[Subacca]

I have got to try this from my Kayak. What a blast that would be. From Google Earth looks like there is a launch site by St. Johns bridge, do you have to pay to park there even if not using a trailor? And how much weight did you have to use to keep the line down? I don't have an anchor yet for my kayak but that part of the river looks pretty slow so doable?

 

[viento]

I used abandoned railroad spikes tied to one link of a 3-way splitter, if the line was 50lb, I use 30lb to attach the spike.

Willamette Park, and the old Ferry road at Staff Jennings dock might be good access spots.
Cheers

 

[beaverfan]

Be careful fishing including catch and release for Sturgeon from the 205 bridge to the falls.

 

[kick_bass]

Its too bad it was only open for retention for about a month this year but catch and release is just as good.

 

[Subacca]

That area from 205 bridge to falls I think is closed completely even for catch and release. I went to that boat launch area by John's Landing I think is the area today to check out the area for launching a kayak and you have to pay to park but may be worth it unless anybody knows of a good launch site around the area that is free. haven't checked out the launch site by the St. John's bridge yet on the other side of town.

 

[R&M Boatsaleslady]

All I have to say is WOW! It was fun and they are definitely pole benders and line breakers. I never knew the Willamette had sturgeons let alone huge monsters at that! We used the depth finder to find the deepest area in the Willamette and were getting action all day.

I wished I had a picture of the river monster I hooked. I know my story will sound like BS and in all honesty I wouldn't believe either if someone told me this... Anyhow, we used Herring for bait and dropped it to the bottom. This was about my 3rd one I hooked, I got a light tug and set the hook. I yanked and reeled and thought nothing of it, it felt like the other two I hooked before. However, after about 10-15 mins of fighting I began to to think I had a good sized one on because I wasn't gaining line and actually losing line to the fish. 30mins passed and my arm was tired so I passed the pole to my friend. He fought and tried for another 20 mins. By this time, the people living in the house boat nearby came out and were cheering us on and saying they have been watching us from inside for the passed 40 mins and told us to hurry up and land it LOL.

1 hour into this and we finally saw the fish surface, it came up and I saw the tail of it surface about 20 yards from our boat. 5 mins later it jumped out of the water and it was the biggest fish I've ever hooked in my life. It was awesome! It had to be 8ft+ and when it hit the water, it sounded like a log crashing into the water. A min after that the line on the rod snapped. I think we had 60 pound test on.

This is the first on I got but I wished I could have got a pic of the big one.

WOW NICE JOB!!!! I a thinking of changing up salmon fish'en this weekend for sturgeon hope I get one too! ") nice job ah!

 

[JTLunker]

There is a good put in at Oaks Park. Just north of the Sellwood bridge.

 

[Subacca]

There is a good put in at Oaks Park. Just north of the Sellwood bridge.

Thanks! I see it on google maps. In fact, on google maps it actually shows a white truck with a yellow kayak on the grass in front of it, so I believe that confirms I'm looking at the right spot :dance:

 

[JKham]

I am not too sure where you can launch and park for free? I know it's $10 to park all day at Willamette Park and that's where we launch. The water is still pretty high and there's a park next to Oaks park where the water was up to the picnic tables and I saw kayakers rowing right up and launching right there.